Thanksgiving morning 2012 there was a fire at Blue Ridge Apartments in Wheaton, Mo. 5 people lost their lives in this fire Mary Henning (43), Brandon Thurston (8), Corey Hasche (26), Jonathan (Jay) Gemmecke (32), and Molly Doherty (54). This law that we are trying to get passed is important for several reasons. Missouri is one of 5 states that does not require any fire safety measures because they feel that to do so infringes on developer's rights. Should this law be placed into effect, it would make fire safety measures such as smoke detectors, fire alarm systems, and/or sprinkler systems mandatory in all rental units such as apartments and houses. The apartment that Mary, Brandon, and Corey were in did not have any smoke detectors in it. Mary had told family previously that she was concerned about the fact that the landlord had removed them from her apartment. She was also concerned because there was not a fire escape and she lived on the second floor. Had there been smoke alarms in Mary, Brandon, and Corey's apartment, they would have had a chance at surviving, but because the landlord had removed them, they had no warning that they were in danger at all and they passed away from smoke inhalation in their beds that morning. Please, help us honor our loved ones' memories and make their deaths a lesson. Help us pass Brandon's Law so no other family has to go through the pain and suffering that these four families have gone through.